Ben Ellis is a classical guitarist, community arts organizer, and educator. He programs recitals that explore the unexpected corners of guitar repertoire. Programing and pairing works from the eighteenth to the twenty-first century, Ellis finds unexpected threads that connect contrasting works. His programs have include paired transcriptions of violin music by Eugéne Ysaÿe and J.S. Bach as well as the standard “When You Wish Upon A Star” arranged by Chet Atkins paired with an homage to Walt Disney by contemporary composer Darragh O’Neill. Recent performances include recitals for the Skaneateles Library Concert Series, the Classical Guitar Society of Upstate NY, the St. Eustace Music Series in Lake Placid, NY, WCNY Performance Space in Syracuse, NY, The Orangeburg Fine Arts Center in Orangeburg, SC, and the Tenri Cultural Institute in NYC. 

Determined to reach new audiences, Ellis also curates special programs that pair music with art, wine, dance, and historical events. He has presented these custom designed events at venues such as the The Smith Opera House in Geneva, NY, Shelter Studios in NYC, and the historic Barnes Mansion in Syracuse, NY. Most recently, Ellis presented arrangements of rock and roll songs for the classical guitar at The Principle Art Gallery in Charleston, SC. The musical selections highlighted the galleries exhibit of behind the scenes photos of notorious rock musicians.